Payne Signs Three-Year Contract With Gloucestershire

Left-arm fast bowler David Payne has signed a three-year contract extension which will keep him at Gloucestershire until the end of the 2013 season.

Payne, a regular member of the England Under-19 team, returned figures of seven for 29 against Essex in a Clydesdale Bank 40 fixture earlier this year, recording the best ever figures in one-day cricket by a Gloucestershire bowler.

"I am delighted to sign a new contract and to be staying with Gloucestershire for another three years," Payne told the club's website (www.gloscricket.com).

"The plans that John Bracewell and the club are currently putting in place are an exciting prospect for the future and I am very happy to be part of them."

Gloucestershire Director of Cricket John Bracewell added: “David is already one of our outstanding one-day bowlers and has had the best part of two years as a continuing part of the England Under-19 set-up.

“He will be introduced into more four-day cricket next season. But the amount of one-day cricket he has played has already enabled him to develop a good slower ball and deceptive changes of pace.

“Perhaps his best quality is that he is game smart. He can make a self-appraisal between balls and overs to work out what he needs to do with the next one, which is terrific in a young player.

“He’s no heavier than a wet towel at the moment and needs to strengthen up, which is why he is spending the winter at home.

“At the moment day-in, day-out cricket is going to take its toll on him and we have to manage that. But our coaches have proved themselves capable of providing effective programmes of strengthening and conditioning, so I’m confident David will play even more first team cricket next year.”

Payne follows the example of young batsman Chris Dent in signing a new contract, Dent having signed a similar deal.